Variability of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions is not associated with genetic diversity of Leishmania tropica in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan

Khan, N. H., Sutherland, C. J., Llewellyn, M. S. and Schönian, G. (2017) Variability of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions is not associated with genetic diversity of Leishmania tropica in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 97(5), pp. 1489-1497. (doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0887) (PMID:29016290)

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Abstract

Leishmania tropica is the causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Pakistan. Here, intraspecific diversity of L. tropica from northern Pakistan was investigated using multilocus microsatellite typing. Fourteen polymorphic microsatellite markers were typed in 34 recently collected L. tropica isolates from Pakistan along with 158 archival strains of diverse Afro-Eurasian origins. Previously published profiles for 145 strains of L. tropica originating from different regions of Africa, Central Asia, Iran, and Middle East were included for comparison. Six consistently well-supported genetic groups were resolved: 1) Asia, 2) Morroco A, 3) Namibia and Kenya A, 4) Kenya B/Tunisia and Galilee, 5) Morocco B, and 6) Middle East. Strains from northern Pakistan were assigned to Asian cluster except for three that were placed in a geographically distant genetic group; Morocco A. Lesion variability among these Pakistani strains was not associated with specific L. tropica genetic profile. Pakistani strains showed little genetic differentiation from strains of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria (FST = 0.00–0.06); displayed evidence of modest genetic flow with India (FST = 0.14). Furthermore, genetic structuring within these isolates was not geographically defined. Pak–Afghan cluster was in significant linkage disequilibrium (IA = 1.43), had low genetic diversity, and displayed comparatively higher heterozygosity (FIS = −0.62). Patterns of genetic diversity observed suggest dominance of a minimally diverse clonal lineage within northern Pakistan. This is surprising as a wide clinical spectrum was observed in patients, suggesting the importance of host and other factors. Further genotyping studies of L. tropica isolates displaying different clinical phenotypes are required to validate this potentially important observation.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Llewellyn, Professor Martin
Authors: Khan, N. H., Sutherland, C. J., Llewellyn, M. S., and Schönian, G.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Life Sciences
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Publisher:American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
ISSN:0002-9637
Published Online:25 September 2017
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
First Published:First published in American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 97(5): 1489-1497
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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